They all fought for the stars and stripes. - Army Staff Sgt. Alexander Trybulski

SAGINAW TOWNSHIP, MI — A brand new flag waves atop a silver pole on Wieneke near Shattuck in Saginaw Township.

The morning of Friday, June 13, dozens of veterans sat in folding chairs lining the green grass in front of McBrite Independent Living, 2825 Wieneke, watching three men with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1859 raise the new flag during an annual Flag Day ceremony.

"We have so many veterans living here that 21 years ago, when we realized that was the case, we wanted to pay tribute," said Ed McArdle, resident relations for Wellspring Lutheran Services Senior Living in Saginaw.

Each year since then, the facility holds the special ceremony, which includes patriotic songs, a rifle salute and the reading of names of veterans currently living in the three adjacent Wellspring facilities, which include McBrite, Meadow View Memory Care and Shattuck Assisted Living & Early Stage Memory Care.

In total, 48 veterans who served in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam live in the three facilities.

Wedged between two national holidays with a patriotic theme — Memorial Day and Independence Day — McArdle said he sees Flag Day as a somewhat forgotten day.

But the residents of the Wellspring facilities and their guests did not forget the day, with many dressed in red, white and blue as they gathered to celebrate Flag Day one day early, since the June 14 holiday falls on a Saturday this year.

A choir full of Wellspring residents joined together to sing "You're a Grand Old Flag" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

"That hits my heart," said Pfc. Joseph Greko, who served in the army during WWII.

"I really enjoy this," Greko said. "I'm glad they put it on."

Greko was a part of the third wave of soldiers to storm the beaches of Normandy on D-Day 70 years ago.

Although there are many fellow veterans in Greko's midst on a daily basis while living on the Wellspring campus, he said military service isn't a regular topic of discussion.

For some of the veterans, McArdle explained, it too painful to remember what happened during their time serving.

Army Staff Sgt. Alexander Trybulski, 97, remembers fighting in the battle of Okinawa during WWII and the many casualties he witnessed.

"We lost a lot of people," Trybulski said. "We had 7,000 casualties and 1,500 were killed in a little better than two months time.

"We took a beating."

The ceremony brought up a lot of memories for Trybulski, as he watched the flag raised and participated in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

"It really brings back memories of your buddies from the war," he said. "It reminds you of all the fighting people all around the world and all the wars. They all fought for the stars and stripes."

On top of the living veterans that were honored during the ceremony, McArdle read the names of 11 veterans formerly living at the Wellspring facilities who have died since the last Flag Day ceremony.

With fewer World War II veterans around to share the history of the war, Trybulski said he is glad the facility keeps the memory alive for Flag Day.

"I really think it's a nice thing because just about everyone is forgetting about World War II because we're just about all gone now," Trybulski said.

According to McArdle, the holiday and the memory will continue to live on in Saginaw Township.

"The stars and stripes are never forgotten when you see men who risked their lives to defend our freedom," McArdle said. "That's why we take special effort to recognize the American flag here."

— Jessica Shepherd is an entertainment reporter with MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact her at 989-996-0687, email her at jessica_shepherd@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter or Facebook. You can also hear her Fridays at 8 a.m. on 102.5 WIOG's Nate and Rachel in the Morning.